The Comfortable House: North American Suburban Architecture, 1890-1930

by Alan Gowans

Between 1890 and 1930, more houses were built in the United States than in all its previous history. "The Comfortable House" provides the first full treatment of this large body of domestic building. More than half of the book is devoted to classifying these houses into categories that can help guide preservationists, architectural historians and homeowners through the great profusion of "post Victorian" styles - Bungalow, Saltbox, Shingle, Tudor, Gothic, and the like.Aided by over 200 illustrations taken from contemporary catalogs of ready-cut houses, and photographs of actual houses, "The Comfortable House" classifies each style, notes its vintage, and documents its source.Alan Gowans is Professor of History of Art at the University of Victoria, British Columbia and he author of 15 previous books.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Architecture

261 pages, Hardcover

First published October 2, 1986

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

While picking up something entirely other at the library, I happened to see this. A big house book from pre-war suburbia, which really qualifies as urban now? Yes please. And despite the hideous look of the cover and the poor reproduction of the photo on the cover that is just exactly the kind of house I love most.

So, really, I expected this to be lots of fun pictures of houses and some floor plans, maybe something about specific suburbs or whatever. Instead it is a classification/identification system, and social history, and a fair amount about the differing roles of architects, spec builders, and houses by mail, and so much snark! I read every word which I didn't expect. And I was really engrossed reading about the kinds of pavilions the states were building at expositions, because I love to get all up in that mess. Plus, for bonus points, the snark was rather more pointed at Wright than at the average home buyer, and I have no use for Wright, so yay!

Highly recommended for anyone who spends hours looking at Queen Anne floor plans and painted ladies on Pinterest. And I know I'm not the only one.

Library copy

[Julie H. Ernstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my family we put books in our Easter baskets as we "age up" from cuddlies. This is one of my favorite books and was a gift from my husband years ago. It includes a huge range of turn of the 20th century suburban architectural types and styles, with detailed architectural, social, and historical information--including floorplans. It's a great book for anyone interested in architectural history, housing, and/or suburban studies.